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Early years[edit]
Count Basie arrived in Kansas City, Missouri in 1927, playing on the Theater Owners Bookers Association (TOBA) circuit. After playing with Walter Page's Blue Devils, in 1929 he joined rival band leader Bennie Moten's band.

Upon Moten's death in 1935, Basie left the group to start his own band, taking many of his colleagues from the Moten band with him. This nine-piece group was known for its legendary soloists including, Joe Keyes and Oran 'Hot Lips' Page on trumpet, Buster Smith and Jack Washington on alto saxophone, Lester Young on tenor saxophone, Dan Minor on trombone, and a rhythm section made up of Jo Jones on drums, Walter Page on bass and Basie on piano. With this band, then named The Barons of Rhythm, Basie brought the sound of the famous and highly competitive Kansas City "jam session" to club audiences, coupling extended improvised solos with riff-based accompaniments from the band. The group's first venue was the Reno Club in Kansas City, later moving to the Grand Terrace in Chicago.

When music critic and record producer John Hammond heard the band on a 1936 radio broadcast, he sought them out and offered Basie the chance to expand the group to the standard 13-piece big band line-up. He also offered to transfer the group to New York City in order to play at venues such as the Roseland Ballroom. Basie agreed, hoping that with this new band, he could retain the freedom and spirit of the Kansas City style of his nine-piece group.

The band, which now included Buck Clayton on trumpet and the famous blues "shouter" Jimmy Rushing, demonstrated this style in their first recordings with the Decca label in January 1937: in pieces such as "Roseland Shuffle", the soloists are at the foreground, with the ensemble effects and riffs playing a strictly functional backing role. This was a fresh big band sound for New York, contrasting the complex jazz writing of Duke Ellington and Sy Oliver and highlighting the difference in styles that had emerged between the east and west coasts.

The Continuing Band[edit]
After Basie's death in 1984, the band has continued to play under the direction of some of the players he had hired, including Eric Dixon, Thad Jones, Frank Foster, Grover Mitchell, Bill Hughes, and Dennis Mackrel. The current director is Scotty Barnhart. New recordings have continued to be released, for example Basie is Back (2006) which features new recordings of classic tunes from the Basie Orchestra's catalog, including "April in Paris" and even the band's early hit "One O'clock Jump". The group also continues to produce collaborations with high-profile singers, such as Ray Charles in Ray Sings, Basie Swings (also 2006), and with arranger Allyn Ferguson on the album Swing Shift (1999).

Revision

The Count Basie Orchestra continued releasing recordings and albums after Basie's death in 1984. For example, Basie is Back (2006) features new recordings of classic tunes from the Basie Orchestra's catalog, including the band's early hit "One O'clock Jump," and "April in Paris." The Basie band still collaborates with high-profile singers such as Ray Charles in Ray Sings, Basie Swings (2006), and with Allyn Ferguson on the album Swing Shift (1999). After Basie's death the band played under the direction of some of the players he had hired, including Thad Jones, Frank Foster, Grover Mitchell, Bill Hughes, and Dennis Mackrel. The band is currently under the direction of trumpeter Scotty Barnhart.

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Leaders of the Count Basie Orchestra
Count Basie 1935- 1984

Thad Jones 1985-1986

Frank Foster 1986-1995

Grover Mitchell 1995-2003

Bill Hughes 2003- Sept. 2010

Dennis Mackrel 2010- 2013

Scotty Barnhart 2013- Present

Awards and honors[edit]

 * Won seventeen Grammy Awards, including in 1999 for the album Count Plays Duke and in 1997 for the album Live at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild
 * Included in the Down Beat Readers' Poll in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, and 1997 (the last time as Best Big Band)
 * Included in the Down Beat Critics' Poll 1984, 1986, 1991, 1993, and 1994
 * Included in the Jazz Times Critics' and Readers' Poll in 1994, and 1995

Awards and Honors (REVISED)


 * 2007- Long Island Music Hall of Fame
 * 2005- Inducted, Nesuhi Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame


 * 2002 Lifetime Achievement Award
 * 1984- Best Jazz Instrumental Performance Big Band 88 Basie Street
 * 1983- Winner NEA Jazz Masters
 * 1982- Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band Warm Breeze
 * 1981- National Trustees Award
 * 1981- Honoree, Kennedy Center Awards
 * 1981- Honoree, Hollywood Walk of Fame
 * 1980- Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band On The Road
 * 1977- Best Jazz Performance By a Big Band Prime Time
 * 1976- Best Jazz Performance by a Soloist (Instrumental) Basie and Zoot
 * 1970- Initiated in Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
 * 1963- Best Performance by an Orchestra- For Dancing This Time By Basie! Hits of the 50s and 60s
 * 1960- Best Performance by a Band for Dancing Dance With Basie
 * 1958- Best Performance by a Dance Band- Basie
 * 1958- Best Jazz Performance, Group- Basie